critically

American

[krit-ik-lee] / ˈkrɪt ɪk li /

adverb

in a judgmental or disapproving manner.

The backlash was immediate after he spoke critically of his opponent’s personal life.
in a manner involving skillful analysis of merit, as of a decision or work of art or literature: critically admired novels.

a critically sanctioned project;
critically admired novels.
to a devastating degree, leading to or reaching a crisis.

As floodwaters rise, we are critically lacking sandbags and evacuation transport.
seriously or extremely, as of a gravely unstable medical condition: a critically ill pneumonia patient.

critically injured;
a critically ill pneumonia patient.
with decisive or essential importance with respect to the outcome; crucially; indispensably.

The success of this experiment critically relies on optimal weather.

Other Word Forms

noncritically adverb

Etymology

Origin of critically

First recorded in 1645–55; critical ( def. ) + -ly ( def. )

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

You’ll find everything from red pandas to critically endangered black-and-white ruffed lemurs.

From Salon

Your father made sure you earned your allowance, and you got your first sense of what it was like to contribute to the household and — critically — be a stakeholder.

From MarketWatch

We’re committed to fostering environments where learners can think critically and consider how social factors affect the health and well-being of patients and communities.

From The Wall Street Journal

That said, it’s critically important that markets have integrity.

From Barron's

Meningitis is a horrific disease that can take people from the peak of life and health to critically ill within hours, but it is still rare.

From BBC

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023